Liquid crystal display unit having light on one substrate illuminating edge of other

Abstract

A back light type liquid crystal display unit comprises a first transparent substrate having, a second transparent substrate on which the first transparent is superposed to enclose liquid crystal therebetween such that a first side end face thereof is protruded from a first side end face of the first transparent substrate to constitute a protruding portion, and at least one light-emitting element disposed on the protruding portion for emitting light to be incident into the first transparent substrate from the first side end face thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A back light type liquid crystal display unit comprising: 
       a first transparent substrate having;  
       a second transparent substrate on which the first transparent is superposed to enclose liquid crystal therebetween such that a first side end face thereof is protruded from a first side end face of the first transparent substrate to constitute a protruding portion; and  
       at least one light-emitting element disposed on the protruding portion for emitting light to be incident into the first transparent substrate from the first side end face thereof.  
     
     
       2. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  1 , further comprising: 
       a reflection plate covering a second side end face of the first transparent substrate opposed to the first side end face thereof and a second side end face of the second transparent substrate opposed to the first side end face thereof.  
     
     
       3. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  1 , further comprising: 
       a synthetic resin portion provided on the protruding portion so as to cover the light emitting element and the first side end face of the first transparent substrate, the synthetic resin portion having a refractive index substantially equal to that of glasses.  
     
     
       4. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  1 , wherein the light emitting element is a light-emitting diode array arranged in a row on the protruding portion along the first side face of the first transparent substrate. 
     
     
       5. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  1 , further comprising: 
       light scattering means on a surface of the first side end face of the first transparent substrate.  
     
     
       6. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  5 , wherein the light scattering means is fine irregularities provided on the surface of the first side end face of the first transparent substrate. 
     
     
       7. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  6 , wherein the surface of the first side end face of the first transparent substrate is polished to form the irregularities. 
     
     
       8. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  1 , further comprising: 
       light scattering means on at least one of an upper surface of the first transparent substrate, a lower surface of the same, an upper surface of the second transparent substrate and a lower surface of the same.  
     
     
       9. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  8 , wherein the light scattering means is fine irregularities provided on at least one of an upper surface of the first transparent substrate, a lower surface of the same, an upper surface of the second transparent substrate and a lower surface of the same. 
     
     
       10. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  9 , wherein at least one of an upper surface of the first transparent substrate, a lower surface of the same, an upper surface of the second transparent substrate and a lower surface of the same is polished to form the irregularities. 
     
     
       11. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  1 , wherein a circuit section for driving the display unit is disposed on the protruding portion. 
     
     
       12. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  11 , wherein the circuit section includes first terminal electrodes connected to transparent electrodes respectively provided on the first and second transparent substrates and second terminal electrodes connected to the light emitting element, and 
       wherein the first and second terminal electrodes are arranged juxtaposedly on the protruding portion.  
     
     
       13. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim  1 , wherein the first transparent substrate has a longitudinal dimension longer than that of the second transparent substrate for the protruding portion.